Judge — June 22, 1929 — page 19: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon mocks **Andrew Tombes** in the theatrical production "Street Singer." The humor centers on a stage performer's physical comedy routine. The main joke depicts a vaudeville-style bit where a character describes violently dismantling someone's body ("tear him limb from limb...throw his legs east, his arms west"). The surrounding figures—well-dressed gentlemen in top hats—represent theater patrons and critics laughing at this slapstick performance. The caption at bottom indicates the performers "became a celebrity in the Hammerstein Theater lobby," suggesting the act generated significant buzz among theater-goers. The cartoonist satirizes both the crude physical humor of contemporary stage entertainment and the public's enthusiasm for such lowbrow comedy, contrasting the refined appearance of the suited audience members with the violent content they're applauding. This reflects early 20th-century tensions between vaudeville's popularity and cultural gatekeepers' attitudes toward theatrical taste.